the whole crowd
were wading in mud, the rope would break, and the bucket fall to the
bottom. But there was a substitute for rope and bucket. The men would
hasten away and get long, slim poles, and on them tie, by the straps a
number of canteens, which they lowered into the well and filled; and
unless, as was frequently the case, the whole lot slipped off and fell
to the bottom, drew them to the top and distributed them to their
owners, who at once threw their heads back, inserted the nozzles in
their mouths and drank the last drop, hastening at once to rejoin the
marching column, leaving behind them a dismantled and dry well. It was
in vain that the officers tried to stop the stream of men making for the
water, and equally vain to attempt to move the crowd while a drop
remained accessible. Many, who were thoughtful, carried full canteens to
comrades in the column, who had not been able to get to the well; and no
one who has not had experience of it knows the thrill of gratification
and delight which those fellows felt when the cool stream gurgled from
the battered canteen down their parched throats.

[Illustration: A WELL]

In very hot weather, when the necessities of the service permitted,
there was a halt about noon, of an hour or so, to rest the men and give
them a chance to cool off and get the sand and gravel out of their
shoes. This time was spent by some in absolute repose; but the lively
boys told many a yarn, cracked many a joke, and sung many a song between
"Halt" and "Column forward!" Some took the opportunity, if water was
near, to bathe their feet, hands, and face, and nothing could be more
enjoyable.

The passage of a cider cart (a barrel on wheels) was a rare and exciting
occurrence. The rapidity with which a barrel of sweet cider was
consumed would astonish any one who saw it for the first time, and
generally the owner had cause to wonder at the small return in cash.
Sometimes a desperately enterprising darkey would approach the column
with a cartload of pies, "so-called." It would be impossible to describe
accurately the taste or appearance of those pies. They were generally
similar in appearance, size, and thickness to a pale specimen of "Old
Virginia" buckwheat cakes, and had a taste which resembled a combination
of rancid lard and crab apples. It was generally supposed that they
contained dried apples, and the sellers were careful to state that they
had "sugar in 'em" and were "mighty nice." It wa